Railway journal lubricator



Dec. 9, 1952 J. J. HENNEss-Y 2,621,089

RALWY JOURNAL LUBRICATOR Filed July 27, 1949 2 SHEETS- SHEET l ATTORNEY.

Dec. 9, 1952 J. J. HE'NNESSY RAILWAY JOURNAL.- LUBRICATOR Filed July 27,1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 INVENTORZ JAMES J. HENNESSEY ATTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 9, 195.2

FFICE B ALLWAY JOURNAL VLUBRIGATQR James, L Hennessy, Chambersburg, Foassigner lio-.Hennessy Lubricator Company, Inc., Charnbersburglja., acorporation of Delaware Application July 27, 1949, Serial No. 107,100

(oi sis-se -Cleimsl The invention relatesv to` mechanical lubricators cfthe type. particularly adapted for use in railway journal boxes andincluding a distributor engaging the journal and a mechanical pump forsupplying lubricant to, the distributor and actuated by the. play ofthe.journal in the journal box longitudinallyy of the4 journal.

One of the problems attending the use ofsuch lubricators in boxes suchas are in general use is the dimculty` of inserting and removing thelubricator pump and distributor through the open end of the box andbeneath the. journal. The restricted space between the bottom of thejournal and the bottom of VVthe box usually requires that the box be`jacked upfrom tbe journal, the journal bearingandwedge removed, and thebox lowered directly onto the journal before the pump can be applied orremoved.

The main object of the present invention is to facilitate the insertionand removal of the pump and distributor into and from the space beneaththe journal while the journal is in the journal box and without removingthevwedge journal bearing.

Another object is to readily and securely position the pump in the box,when the pump is in operating position, without affecting removabilityof thepump when desired.

In some earlier arrangements, as in applicants Patent No. 2,331,835,issued October 12, 1943, having the same general objects, thedistributor, after being inserted in the journal box and before the pumpis inserted, has the lower end of a pump-engaging.conduit-arm resting onthe bottom of the boxanda spring compressed be.. tween the arm andthebody of the distributor supports the distributor proper against thejournal. As the pump is inserted in the journal beneath the distributor,the distributor arm must be raised above the bottom of the box againstthe tension of the spring so thatthe pump. can be inserted below thedistributor arm.`

1t is an additionalr objectef the present invention to hold thedistributor` conduit arm spaced from the bottomrofthe box before thepump is inserted so that the rpump may be readily inserted in positionbelow the distributor. In the embodiment shown, this is accomplished byproviding a pump holdingV plate on the bottom of the box. with anupstanding rib. for engaging the distributor at points spaced from itsconduit arm.

Another object is to hold the distributor conduitarrn vagainst movementinwardly oi thebox as the pump is being inserted andY to disengage thedistributor conduit arm `from the pump as the pump` is being removed.v

These general objects and ot er detail objects, as will bedescribed'below, are attained by the structureillustrated the`accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is ai longitudinal verticalsection through a journal box taken approximately on the line -l ofFigure 2 and snowing a' lubricator device constructed according to, thein vention.

Figure 2 is a transverse vertical section through the journal box, theleft-hand side being taken approximately on the liner 2-2 of Figure landthe right-hond siole being taken aprrosimstelr on the line Zar-2aV ofFigure. l.

Figure 3. is a top View' of the lubrioator device with the distributorremoved,

Figure 4. is a detail view correspondinel genorally to Figure 1 anddrawn te ian enlarged scale and illustrates the manner of. applying andremoving the pump to and from the journal.

Figure 5 is a detail section taken on the, line cf-5 of Figure 4 butwith the parts in the position shown in broken lines in Figure 4,'

A collarless journal I mounts the bearing 2 and wedge 3 upon which thebox 4 is carried. The latter has upright side walls Sand a bot,- tomwall 6. rIhe front end of the box has the usual opening 'i provided witha door (not shown) rand the rear wall 8 of the box has the usual opening8a for receiving the journal and is equippediwith a suitable dust guard8b. vA drain sa, substantially as described in Patent No. 2,353,467,issued to the present inventor' July 11, 19e-L1, may be provided inbottom wall 6 of the box. All of the above elementsare o f familitarConstruction and in themselves do not ooosiiiuie the present invention.

The lubricator consists generally ofktwo parts, a pump le and adistributor H. The pump may be of the irre disclosed in applicantsearlier Patent No. 2,331,835, and includes reciprocating pistons E2,actuated 4through levers I3 by ythe ploy .of ies and journallongitudinally of the box, to ,tese eil .from the bottom ofihebor intoorliooofs io sono boor le .from whichth'e oil is discharged to aour-like recess l5 in which is seated the spherical lower end I6 of aconduit arm l? ofthe distributor. In the present arrangement, the uppersurface Illa at the rear end of the pump body is inclined upwardly landforwardly to facilitate inserting the pump'body .below the 10s/eremo. orconduit arm" |11.

The distributor has a plurality 'of ceiotex pads acanoso I8 and plywoodsections I9 seated in pans 20, 2|, 22 which are hinged to one another toswing vertically to facilitate application and removal of thedistributor to and from the journal through opening 1. Conduit arm I1 ishinged at its upper end to the bottom of pan 20 and at its lower endrigidly mounts a transverse element 23 provided with spaced members 24for the purpose described below. Spaced compression springs 25, seatedon element 23 and the bottom of pan 2|, urge pads I8 and sections I9upwardly into engagement with the journal. Lubricant is pumped from anoil supply in the lower portion of the box through conduit I1 to thepads I8 and sections I9 and is distributed by the pads and sections tothe surface of the journal.

The pump, distributor and associated structure are positioned in the boxby a removable holding plate 26, the sides of which are channelsectioned (Figure 2) with the down-turned flanges 26a resting on thebottom of the box. The plate has a deep recess extending inwardly fromits forward end and receiving the pump body I4. Lateral recesses 21 inthe plate receive lugs 28 on the pump body. Plate 26 is positioned by aretainer 29 at each side of the box having a down-turned flange 29a, theforward end 29h of which is bent at right angles and opposes the forwardend of an adjacent leg of plate 26. Retainers 29 are welded to the boxside wall at W and to the box floor at W.

An upstanding rib 36 is welded onto each leg of holding plate 26. Thetop edge of the rib has an irregular contour which slopes upwardly andrearwardly at 36a from its forward end to a high point 31, then slopesdownwardly and rearwardly at 36D and then extends horizontally at 39 toa forwardly facing shoulder 38. When the pump is in the position shownin Figure 1 with terminal I6 seated on the pump, transverse element 23extends over sections 39 but is spaced above the same.

The lubricator is assembled to the box and journal as follows:

Retainers 29 are welded to side wall 4 and to bottom wall 6 of the box.Holding plate 26 is placed between retainers 29 and behind flanges 29D.Distributor I I is inserted through box opening 1 and beneath thejournal, elements 24 being placed between ribs 36 to hold thedistributor against twisting. During movement rearwardly of the box,element 23 rides up inclines 36a, compressing springs 25 and moves overprojections 31 and down inclines 36B and rests on horizontal portions 39(Figure 4). Shoulders 38 will limit the rearward movement of thedistributor.

Pump I is then inserted through box opening 1, rst assuming the positionindicated in broken lines in Figure 4. Further inward movement of thepump causes the upwardly facing inclined surface I4a on the liner end ofthe pump to engage conduit terminal I6 and the latter rides up surfaceIlla and seats in recess I in pump body I4 as indicated in Figure 1. Thepump body lugs 28 are dropped into recesses 21 and the parts are inposition to function. The pump and distributor will be held againstmovement longitudinally of the box and the reciprocation of the journalwill actuate the pump levers I3 to cause the pump to elevate oil throughthe distributor to the journal.

When the pump and distributor are to be removed, the operator simplypulls on the pump and terminal I6, transverse element 23 and thedistributor slide to the left and element 23 rides up incline 3612 untilit rests on projection 31, as indicated in broken lines in Figure 4.Then the pump is freed from terminal I6 and may be lifted and readilywithdrawn from the box. After the pump is removed, the distributor maybe removed by pulling outwardly on the same, member 23 riding downincline 36a.

A lubricator device of the kind described may be readily installed inand removed from the space beneath the journal while the journal is inthe journal box and without removing the wedge and journal bearing. Thelower end of the distributor conduit is spaced from the bottom of thebox and from the pump-holding plate before the pump is installed so thatthe pump body may be readily inserted between the holding plate anddistributor, The holding plate positions the pump securely in the box.

The details of the construction may be varied substantially withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention and the exclusive use ofthose modications coming within the scope of the claims is contemplated.

What is claimed is:

l. In a journal lubricator for a railway vehicle journal box, adistributor having a portion for engaging a journal, a downwardlyinclined conduit hinged at its upper end to said portion, an elongatedelement on and extending transversely of the lower end of said conduit,and springs seated on the ends of said element and urging said portionaway from said element, a pump including a body having a portion betweensaid springs receiving the lower end of said conduit, a horizontallydisposed plate having a recess receiving the pump body, spacedupstanding ribs on said plate extending lengthwise thereof and engagingthe ends of said element when the pump is removed and thereby spacingthe lower end of the conduit from the plate and so that the pump bodymay be readily inserted below the lower end of the conduit.

2. In a journal lubricator for a railway vehicle journal box, adistributor having a body with an upper face concaved for engaging ajournal, an elongated conduit extending longitudinally of the concavityof said face and hinged at its upper end to said body and inclineddownwardly therefrom, a member on the lower end of said conduitextending transversely thereof, a spring thrusting said member and bodyaway from each other, a pump including a body having an upwardly facingrecess seating the lower end of said conduit, a horizontally disposedholding plate for positioning the pump, spaced upstanding ribs on saidplate opposing said member and disposed to space the lower end of theconduit from the plate so that the pump body may be readily insertedbelow the lower end of the conduit, there being elongated elements onsaid member extending lengthwise of said concavity adjacent said ribs tohold the distributor from twisting on said member as the distributor andpump are moved into and out of the box.

3. Structure as described in claim 2 in which the ribs have upstandingprojections spaced longitudinally of the concavity and opposing thetransverse member on the conduit to limit movement of the conduit andpump longitudinally of the concavity.

4. In a journal lubricator for a railway vehicle journal box, adistributor having a journal engaging body and a downwardly extendingconduit and having an elongated element extending transversely thereofat the lower end of said conduit with its ends offset downwardly, a pumpincluding a body having a portion receiving the lower end of saidconduit, springs compressed between said element ends and the body ofthe distributor, a horizontal plate having means to position said pumpand having spaced upstanding ribs for engaging the ends of said elementwhen the pump is removed and spacing the lower end of the conduit fromthe plate so that the pump body may be readily inserted below the lowerend of the conduit.

5. In a lubricator for application to a railway vehicle journal box, aholding plate adapted to be seated von the bottom of the box and havingfront and rear ends and a central recess opening inwardly from saidfront end, spaced upstanding ribs on said plate extending longitudinallyof the plate, each of said ribs being inclined upwardly and rearwardlyfrom the front of the plate, then downwardly and rearwardly and thensubstantially horizontally rearwardly, a pump movable into and out ofsaid recess through the open end REFERENCES CITED The followingreferences are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,178,248 Lyons Apr. 4, 19152,331,835 Hennessy Oct. 12, 1943 2,378,407 Hennessy June 19, 19452,425,186 Hennessy Aug. 5, 1947 2,437,817 Hennessy Mar. 16, 1948

